Clock door



Dec. 7, o MS CLOCK DOOR Filed Oct. 2, 1955 05222161] G Vl/Z'ZZz'ams Patented Dec. 7, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFECE CLOCK DOOR Application October 2, 1935, Serial No. 43,241

4 Claims.

This invention relates to clock doors and, more particularly, to a device for removably but positively securing a lens within a clock door.

It is the primary object of this invention to 5 provide a simple, inexpensive device arranged to positively and rigidly secure a lens within a clock door or frame in such a manner that it may be easily removed and replaced.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clock door arranged to resiliently but removably secure a lens therein in such a manner that it may be quickly and easily replaced.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clock door construction arranged to firmly but removably secure a lens therein without employing unsightly rivets or soldered lugs as has been common practice heretofore.

Other objects will be apparent in view of the following detailed description of my invention.

My invention, the preferred type of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, consists in the features of construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described; and the scope thereof is indicated in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein one embodiment which the present invention may take is shown for illustrative purposes and wherein like numerals indicate like parts:

Figure l is a plan view of a clock face having a door hinged thereto in opened position and showing a lens or sash removably secured in position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the hinged portion of the assembled door and sash illustrating the spring employed in removably securing the sash in position;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sash spring;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view of the latch portion of the door diametrically opposite from the sash spring; and

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 but showing a lens removably secured in position without employing a frame handing the edge of the lens and 45 with the clock face broken away.

In accordance with this invention, I have provided a clock door arranged to protect a clock face and having a lens removably and resiliently r secured therein in such a manner that it may be quickly assembled and easily replaced in the event of breakage without necessitating the use of any tools.

As illustrated in the drawing, I have provided a clock door I0 which in the present instance is shown in the form of an annulus having a flanged rim II and a substantially cylindrical peripheral portion I3 integral therewith. The door I 0 is secured to a clock face I 5 in any suitable manner such as by means of a hinge l6 fastened to the peripheral door portion I3 by rivets I8 and to the clock face I5 by suitably spaced rivets 23. It will be appreciated, however, that the door I0 may be secured to the clock face in any other suitable manner such, for example, as by means of a bayonet socket, and it is not desired that this invention be limited to a door mounted in hinged engagement with a clock face.

The door In is arranged to removably and resiliently support a lens 23 composed of glass or other suitable transparent material whereby the clock face may be easily seen and yet will be pro" tected at all times whenever door I 0 is closed thereover. To accomplish this without necessitating the use of unsightly rivets or soldered lugs as have been formerly employed in the mounting of lenses within clock doors, I have provided a spring 25 having two outwardly extending arms 26 and 21, each of which terminates in a pair of spaced ears 28 and 29. The central portion of spring 25 is provided with an intermediate substantially fiat portion 3!! having spaced holes therein which are arranged to receive the rivets I8 which also serve the purpose of securing the door to hinge I6. The cars 28 and 29 are preferably of such spaced relation that they will each straddle a light frame 3| which peripherally bands and protects lens 23. When the lens is demounted from door I I3, spring arms 26 and 21 will normally assume the respectively contracted positions as illustrated by the dotted lines 26' and 21 in Fig. 2, and when the lens is inserted and secured within frame in, the arms 26 and 21 will be resiliently expanded and assume the full line positions as shown in Fig. 2. Diametrically opposite spring 25 I have provided a pair of spaced holes 32 and 33 within the peripheral portion I3 and arranged to receive the respectively projecting lugs 35 and 36 of a door handle 31. The holes 32 and 33 are spaced from annular rim II, a distance which is substantially equivalent or greater than the thickness of peripheral frame 3| on lens 23. As shown in Fig. 4, the lug 35 is headed over on the inside of member I3. and lug 3B is permitted to extend therethrough and provide a projecting portion under which the edge of frame 3| may be positively engaged.

It will thus be appreciated that the lens. 23 and frame 3I may be inserted between the ears 28 and 29 and pressed thereagainst sufficiently to depress them and thereafter engage rim 3| between flange II and protruding lug 36. Spring 25 is preferably provided with such resiliency that it will firmly maintain the lens within its locked position but may be'easily manually depressed without the use of tools. Whereas I employ the frame 3| in peripheral banding engagement with lens 23 to provide a rim therefor, it will be appreciated that the lens 23 may be effectively held in position without the use of rim 3|, and it is not desired that my invention be limited solely to the use of this rim. It will further be appreciated that my clock door has been herein illustrated as an annular flanged member, but it may consist of any suitable size and shape, and my invention is intended to relate to any clock door embodying the features of my spring 25 and the diametrically opposed locking member 36 employed in the manner described. 7

In View of the fact that many changes could be made in the above described construction and various apparently different embodiments of my invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or showncin the accompanying drawing shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

It is also to be understood that the language employed in the following claims is intended to relate to all of the generic and specific features of this invention as herein described and all statements of the scope of the invention which as a matter of language might be said to fall therebetween.

I claim as my invention:

1. A clock door comprising a substantially annularly shaped frame having a peripheral flange, means to removably secure said flange in engagement with a clock face, a spring member fastened intermediate of its ends to the flange, said spring having two outwardly extending resilient arms,'each of which terminates in a bifurcated socket a lens peripherally and removably engaged by said sockets, and a handle secured to the flange substantially diametrically opposite said spring, said handle having an inwardly projecting pin arranged to slidably and removably receive the edge of the lens therebeneath under the influence of said spring whereby a lens may be easily replaced by depression of the resilient spring arms.

2. A clock door comprising a rim having a substantially cylindrical flange, means to demountably secure said rim in peripheral engagement with the clock face, a member secured intermediate of its ends against the inner face of said flange, said member being provided with outwardly extending resilient arms having socket portions at their ends which are arranged to peripherally engage and resiliently support a lens, a handle on the opposite side of the rim from said member, and an inwardly projecting portion on the handle protruding within the flange and arranged to receive an edge of the lens therebeneath to cooperate with the resilient arms in demountably supporting the lens.

3. In a clock door having a cylindrical flanged to, a pair of oppositely disposed, outwardly'ex-,

tending resilient arms on the spring, projecting portions on the outer ends of each arm forming sockets, a lens of smaller diameter than and removably receivable within the door, a protective frame peripherally banding the lens, said frame being removably and resiliently received within each socket, and a handle secured to the flange substantially opposite to the hinge, said handle having an inwardly projecting portion on the inside of the flange and arranged to slidably and removably secure the lens rim therebeneath.

4. A clock door comprising an'annular flange, a hinge mounted at one end on a clock face, rivets securing the other end of the hinge to said flange,

a handle on the flange substantially diametrically opposed to the hinge and arranged to facilitate swinging the door into and out of engagement with the clock face, a spring member secured intermediate of its ends and within said peripheral flange by said rivets, outwardly extending arms on said spring, each of said arms terminating in a lens engaging socket, a lens of smaller diameter than the annular flange peripherally and resiliently received within said sockets, the portion of said flange oppositely disposed to said spring having apertures therethrough, and a plurality of inwardly projecting members on the handle which extend through said apertures in the peripheral flange to secure the handle in position, one of said members projecting inwardly to a sufficient extent toreceive the edge of the lens therebeneath and cooperate with the spring in removably securing the lens in position,

' I OTHNEIL G. WILLIAMS. 

